How to Tie Up Your Soccer Shoes Like the Pros

Since soccer lacks timeouts, an unraveling shoelace can be problematic if you are in mid-run, trying to shoot, attack or defend. Referees may sometimes give a goalkeeper a chance to tie a loose shoelace during play, but not field players, notes Wes Harvey, a semi-pro player and former coach of Baltimore's Morgan State University. To avoid having your team play a man down, double knot your cleats' shoelaces like a pro.

The Double Knot

Tie your soccer laces just as you would for normal shoelaces, Harvey advises. Stand up and flex your feet a bit, and you’ll notice a slackness develop between the upper eyelets. Untie and retie the knot a bit tighter. Make the loops long enough to allow for the second knot, but not so long that they will hit the turf. Tie the loops into a simple square knot on top of the regular knot -- not too tightly so you can more easily loosen this square knot after the game. If your laces are extra long, you should crisscross the loose ends behind the first pair of heel cleats, not under the arch.

Knot Pointers

For youth shoes with hook-and-loop closures, simply reposition the closures until the shoe fits securely. With laced cleats, thread the lace in the top eyelet from the top to the bottom, to create what is called a “heel lock,” a bend in the lace that stays tight even before you create a knot and provides a desirable tension in the laces. If your shoes have a tongue flap, press this down over your tied laces.